1Sa 7:5-6 | TNotes | STEP | 7:5 Mizpah was an administrative center and rallying point for the nation (see 7:16 ; 10:17 ; Judg 20:1 ). • I will pray ... for you: Eli’s question in 1 Sam 2:25 is answered here; Samuel was the intercessor Israel needed.

7:5 ^a Mizpah was an administrative center and rallying point for the nation (see 7:16 ^b; 10:17 ^c; Judg 20:1 ^d).

• I will pray ... for you: Eli’s question in 1 Sam 2:25 ^e is answered here; Samuel was the intercessor Israel needed.
7:6 ^f drew water ... poured it out: This type of ceremony is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament.

• At times Israelites went without food to express grief or to seek the Lord’s favor (2 Sam 1:12 ^g; 12:22-23 ^h; 1 Kgs 21:27 ⁱ; Ezra 8:21-23 ^j; Neh 9:1 ^k; Esth 4:3 ^l, 16 ^m; Joel 2:12 ⁿ; cp. Luke 2:37 ^o; Acts 13:2-3 ^p; 14:23 ^q).

• To have Samuel as Israel’s judge was refreshing compared to Eli’s failed leadership (see 1 Sam 4:18 ^r and corresponding study note) and the leadership of some other judges (e.g., Gideon, Judg 8:22-27 ^s; Jephthah, Judg 11:30–12:7 ^t; and Samson, Judg 13:1–16:21 ^u).